Opponents have objected to an alleged lack of transparency in the planning process and to the higher cost of a suspension bridge, said in 2004 to be nearly 70 percent more than that of a conventional concrete bridge. Others also contend that Jerusalem, sacred to three religions but also the poorest city in Israel, already has enough monuments to attract tourists and does not need to spend money on yet another monument. And some observers have complained that the bridge is located too close to surrounding apartment buildings. [Calatrava’s Bridge in Jerusalem Incites Controversy]